The invention relates to clamping or expanding pliers having two pliers arms which are connected to one another in the manner of a scissors joint, which form handle sections at one end and clamping sections at the other end and which can be latched in different clamping positions, the clamping force being the result of elastic deformation of at least one of the pliers arms, this deformation being associated with the movement of the pliers arms into the clamping position.
Clamping or expanding pliers of this type are known from DE-A 199 33 033. For stress-relieving return deformation which eliminates the clamping action, the spring force, that is to say the restoring force of the pliers arms, is unblocked.